Submarine.



w. L. WALKER."

SUBMARINE. APPucATmN man Nov. i2. 1915.

` Patented Mar. 42 8, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

@www

N LAN m5 MQ @WN www f [Mm uw E mw@ mv .wml w Qq i m \L mf xv 5 @WN l SNN 'THM [IVI] xl Hf. YI IHM- w, L. WALKER.

SUBWRNE. 1 APPLICATION FILED NOV. i2. 19H5- l r' l 9 E. T?, l 57 @wwwmy, 28? M6.

new.

XVILLAM L. WALKER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SUBMARINE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 213, 11916.

Application filed November 1'2, 1915'. Serial No. 61,057.

boat shall descend in order to avoid the risk of injury in striking thebottom or from hydrostatic pressure encountered at too great a depth,this object being attained by the provision of means, automatically tocreate buoyancy at any depth without the release of weights or otherexternal devices.

A further Objectis to provide means for raising a sunken sulnnarine tothe surface in the event that she has been sunk but is uninjured, bystriking the bottom or by the hydrostatic pressure, this object beingattained by the, provision of means, adapted to be operated by the crew,to create a large amount of 'reserve buoyancy without the employment ofany of the stored or inclosed air supply which is or may be essential tothe preservation of life within the boat.

rlhe invention is applicable tosubmarines that rise and sink at willlwithout any fore and aft inclination of the axis of the boat, but ispeculiarly applicable to those submarines which dive at an angle for thereason that these boats may plunge their noses into the bottom whendiving in shallow water or may get beyond control of the operators anddescend into dangerous depths,

The invention is also peculiarly applicable to those boats the form ofwhose cross section departs from the circular cross section commonlyemployed, because this form of hull has not the natural strength toresist external pressure possessed by a hull with circular crosssections; they therefore can not be safely submerged to as great a depthas boats of the former type. In both types it is essential that the safesubmergent depth shall not be exceeded.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate certain embodiments of myinvention,-l*`igure l isI a vertical transverse section of a submarineillustrating an embodi- Iment of my invention as applied to theauxiliary ballast or trimming tanks; and Fig. 2 is a similar viewgpartlyin section and partly in elevation,,illustrating an embodiment of myinvention as applied to the main ballast tanks.

Referring to Fig.. l: A is a main ballast tank of usual construction,open to see Water as usual, with proper vents. B is an auxiliary ballastor trimming tank also of usual construction, filled or partly 'filledwith Water, and having a valve-controlled outlet normally closed by avalve C which opens outwardly and is held to its seat by a spring Dsurrounding the valve stem D. E is a gas tight container or casing, thewalls of which are capable of withstanding the maximum hydrostaticpressure which the hull withstands, and provided with a removable coverE. The said container is adapted to hold a chemical F, such as calciumcarbid or carbid of magnesium, adapted when brought in contact withwater quickly to generate a gas. Upon a wall of the container having anaperture E2 there is mounted a head G which has a central openingscrew-threaded to receive one end of a pipe H, the other end of saidpipe being connected to the main ballast tank A. The op posite or innerend ofsaid head is provided with an annular recess G internally screwthreaded to receive a diaphragm or barrier I of metal or other suitablematerial adapted to be perforated or broken at a predetermined pressureof water. Preferably a sprayer such as a perforated plate J is locatedbetween the diaphragm and the end of the pipe H mounted in said head. The pipe H has a check valve H and a normally open gate valve H2.

K is a cylinder provided with a piston K having a piston rod K2surrounded by a spring K3, the tension of which is regulated by anadjusting nut K5 screwed into the end ofA the cylinder and into whichthe rod K2 passes. The cylinder K is connected with the container E by apipe L, and with the tank B by a pipe L which communicates with a port Kin the cylinder. Normally the spring K3 holds the piston against thefront end of the cylinder with whichv the pipe L connects as shown, sothat the port KG is normally behind the piston. Preferably the piston iscut away as at K7, so that when the parts are in their normal positionshown in the drawings, air is free to pass from the tank B through pipeL and port K into the cylinder' and out through the ports K8 providedfor that purpose in the nut K5. A pipe M having a check valve M and agate valve M2 connects the container E and main ballast tank A.

The operation is as follows: If it is desired to limit the submergenceof a submarine to a predetermined depth, a diaphragm l is placed inposition which will resist a hydrostatic pressure less than thatencountered at the predetermined depth. When the vsubmarine in divingreaches a depth where the hydrostatic pressure is in excess of thestrength of the diaphragm, the latter is immediately broken or rupturedand the water in the tank A enters the container E, comes in contactwith the chemical F and quickly generates a gas which, iowing throughthe pipe L forces back the piston l so that the port K is open,permitting the gas to iow through pipe L into the tank B, and forcingthe water from said tank, thus increasing the buoyancy of the boat andarrestin further downward movement. If the auXi iary or trimming tank islocated at or near the bow the forcing of the water therefrom in themanner above described and the consequent increase of buoyancy tends tochange the direction of diving.

As soon as the fact of the rupture or breakingl of tire-.diaphragmbecomes knowni n the gate valve H2 in pipe 'H is closed an the contentsof the container E forced through the pipe M into the tank A by anysuitable means, as fo.: example, a high pressure pump. The cover E isthen removed, a new diaphragm I placed in position, and the containerreloaded with the chemical.

The cover is thereupon replaced, and thedevice is again ready for use.

Under certain conditions it may be desirable to provide means not onlyfor expelling water from an auxiliary or trimming tank .or tanks asabove described, but also from a main ballast tank or tanks. Where suchis desirable, the boat may be provided with the construction shown inFig. 2. In said figure, A is a main ballast tank of usual construction,open to Sea water as usual, with proper vents, and located in suchposition in the boat that when the Water is expelled or partly expelledtherefrom, the submarine will be given greater buoyancy and furtherdownward movement arrested. Upon a wall of said tank A there is mounteda valve N, preferably a gate valve, the outlet of which communicateswith a. port A in said wall, and preferably a strainer S is provided atsaid outlet opening. The inlet end of said valve is provided with anipple O internally screw threaded atfO, to which is removably securedthe gas tight container or casing E, the walls of which are capable ofwithstanding the maximum hydrostatic pressure which the hull withstands.one of said walls, as E', being removably secured to form a cover. Thesaid vcontainer is' adapted to hold the chemical F, such as calciumcarbid or carbid of mag-` nesium, adapted when brought in contactwithwater quickly to generate a gas. Between the inlet of said valve Nandsaid container E is the diaphragm or barrier lof metal or othersuitable material adapted to be perforated or broken at a predeterminedpressure ofwater. Preferably a pipe R provided with a check valve R andgate valve R2 connects said tank A and container E. 'Preferably also asprayer, such as a perforated plate J, is located between the rush intothe container E and come in con-v tact with the chemical', forming a gasas above described, which immediately expels v water from the tank A,increasing the buoyancy of the boat and arresting further downwardmovement.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is also 'aged h ull. For this purpose, theconstruction is the same as that already described, but in addition apipe U having a suitable check valve U and gate valve U2 is prof videdby\which water may be pumped from the container' int'o the main ballasttank by a high pressure pump or other suitable means. Suppose now thesubmarine has sunk to the bottom, rupturing the diaphragm 4I so thatthere is as the boat rests upon the'bottom, water in the container E andsome gas in the tank, but insufficient in volume to expel water-insulicient quantities toprovide the necessary buoyancy to raise the boat.To raise the boat, the valve N is closed and the Water and residue ofthe chemical in the container is pumped out. The wall or cover of thecontainer is then removed, the chemical F placed within the container,and the removable cover replaced. The valve N is then opened permittingthe water to rush in to form a gas as above described, thus expelling aquantity of water from the tank. expelled is insufficient to provide theneces Vsary buoyancy to raise the boat, the above described operationcan be repeated until sufficient buoyancy is vobtained to accomplish thedesired' result. The chamical F is comparatively heavy and the residueremaining in the container E after the forma- 'tion of the gas is alsocomparatively heavy.

If the amount of water thus i llo sired depth may tion of said gas out1,177,157 ist the, boat thus aiding in the attainment of buoyancy.

It will be clear that diaphragm I of any desired strength correspondingtothe debe employed, andA it will also be clear that when once thediaphragm I is placed in operative position, itperforms its function ofpermitting the water to come in contact with the chemical automatically,so that it is impossible for a 'negligent or adventurous operator topermit a submarine to descend into dangerous depths. In the embodinentsof' my' invention herein described I have shown a diaphragm adapted tobe broken or ruptured at a predetermlned hydrostatic pressure. -Thisdiaphragm is illustrative only and other means adapted to open inresponse to a predetermined hydrostatic pressure may be substituted forsaid diaphragm without departing from my invention.

The invention above described is applicable to submarines of the typenow in common use, and provides simple and effectlve means not only forpreventing accidents attributable to descents beyond a safe depth, butalso for raising a sunken submarine without employment of the stored orreserved air supply..

I claim:

1. In a submarine, a container in normally closed communication with thesea water, awater tank, a passage between the container and tank, meansopening in r spouse to water pressure to admit water to the container,and material in the container adapted on admixtureuwith waterto generatea gas to expel Water from said tank.

2. In a submarine, a container in normally closed communication with thesea Water, a water tank, a passage between the container and tank,material in said container adapted on admixture with water to generate agas to expel water from said' force the contents oftank, and means tothe container remaining after the formaof the submarine.'

3. In a submarine, the combination with a water ballast tank, of acontainer, means between said tank and said container opening inresponse to water pressure to admit water to the container,and materialin said container adapted on admixture with water to generate a 'gas toexpel water from said tank.

4. In a submarine, the .combination with a water ballast tank, of acontainer, a diaphragm between said tank and said con-v tainer adaptedto be perforated by hydrostatic Vpressure to admlt water into the saidcontainer, and material iin said container adapted on admixture. withWaterto generate a` gas to expel water from said tank.

5. In a submarine,.the combination` withv a water ballast tank, of avalve mounted on said tank, a container, a diaphragm between saidcontainer and the inlet of said valve adapted to beA perforated byhydrostatic pressure to admit waterinto the said conadapted to beperforated by hydrostaticpressure to admit water into the saidcontainer, and material in said container adapted on admixture withWater gas to expel Water from said tank.

Ina submarine, the combination with a water ballast tank, of a valvemounted on said tank, a container having a removable wall, a diaphragmbetween said container and the inlet ofs'aid valve adapted to beperforated by hydrostatic pressure to admit water into the saidcontainer, and material infsaid container adapted on admixture withwater to generate a said tank. l

8. In a submarine, the combination with a water ballast tank, of avalve'mounted on said tank, a container removably secured on said valve,a diaphragm between said container and the inlet of said valve adaptedlto be perforatedi'by hydrostatic pressure to admit water into the saidconta1ner,`and material in said container adapted on admixture withwater to generate a gas to expel Water from said-tank.

9. In a submarine, a water ballast tank, of a container, a normallyclosed passa-ge between said tank and said containers` material in saidcontainer adapted on adfmixture with water to generate a gas to expelWater from said tank, and a pipe connecting said container and said tankand having a check valve, whereby the contents of said container mayinto said tank.

Signed by me at Boston, this ninth day of November, 1915.

WILLIAM L.4 WALKER.

the combination with b'e forced Massachusetts,"

to generate a

